Cindy Crawford

Helping Cancer Caregivers find Strength

For over two decades, celebrities have entrusted Coping® to tell the world about their personal experience with cancer. We are proud to present this exclusive interview from our archives and hope that it will inspire and encourage all who read it. This article was originally published in Coping with Cancer magazine,
September/October
2002.

(photo by Patrik Andersson/jbgarc.com)

Model Cindy Crawford, a dedicated cancer advocate who understands
first-hand the toll that cancer caregiving
can take on individuals and families,
is teaming with Ortho Biotech Products, LP. to encourage participation
in Strength for Caring™, a national education and support program for
cancer caregivers.

The Strength for Caring program
offers workshops across the country
in conjunction with local hospitals,
healthcare facilities and cancer centers,
and online resources at www.StrengthForCaring.com.

"It was extremely difficult for my
entire family when my younger brother
was suffering from leukemia," says
Cindy. "My mother was his primary
caregiver, but we all were deeply affected by the emotional and physical
tolls of cancer caregiving," adds Cindy,
who ultimately lost her brother to
the disease.

"My family was not fortunate
enough to have the support of a program like Strength for Caring when
my little brother was ill - we faced
the tough challenge of caregiving
alone," she continues. "Now caregivers can get the help they need
from the Strength for Caring program, which provides support,
empowerment and practical coping
mechanisms for cancer caregivers."

According to
the National Family Caregivers Association, 54 million adults, or 26.6 percent
of the U.S. adult population, provide
care for an elderly disabled or chronically ill relative or friend.

Strength for Caring workshops are
conducted by accredited nurses and
social workers, who undergo formal
training to facilitate the programs, and
are attended by people with family
members or loved ones with cancer.
The program curriculum includes a
range of topics and addresses the needs
of caregivers by helping them to:

Understand cancer and its treatment,

Manage common symptoms such
as fatigue and pain,

Meet the physical and emotional
needs of people with cancer,

Deal with changing family roles, and

Improve their own physical and
mental health.

Strength for Caring sessions focus
on ways to improve care at home and
teach valuable problem solving and
communication skills. During the
workshops, caregivers are encouraged
to share their experiences in order to
learn from each other, and sessions
are tailored to address the concerns
of the group. In addition, facilitators
provide a variety of local and national
resources to ease the challenges of
caregiving. With an enhanced understanding of cancer and knowledge of
available resources, caregivers are able
to provide better care to the person with
cancer, themselves and their families.

Over the years, the role of the family caregiver has changed significantly
to include providing advanced care in
the home. In fact, after discharge from
the hospital, many people continue to
receive complex treatments, such as
home-administered chemotherapy,
intravenous therapies and elaborate
post-surgical care.

According to a study conducted by
the National Family Caregivers Association, 54 million adults, or 26.6 percent
of the U.S. adult population, provide
care for an elderly disabled or chronically ill relative or friend. Caregivers
often risk their own health status while
dedicating themselves to the health
and well-being of another. Community-based education and support for
caregivers helps to relieve the stress
of this demanding role .

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

This article was published in Coping® with Cancer magazine,
September/October
2002.